What size pump would be recommended for this project? I currently have a 2000 gall pump in the pond. The pond is about 2200 gall.
Thanks.
Thanks.
Trickle Tower Filter Pump
- Thread starter Priscilla
- Start date
Depends on the shape and size of the tower and how high you have to pump the water up. 500 gph seems like a nice number. Dont forget, you should have already mechanically filtered the water before sending it through a trickle tower type filter. If you don't the media in the tower will get dirty and the bacteria will not thrive.
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One of the reasons a TT is a good bio filter is because it is self cleaning. I've never heard or seen anyone ever mechanically filtering water before a TT. Bio film grows on a TT and algae, but even with that there's little way suspended particles are going to settle in flowing water. Makes no sense.
I don't know what this project is so there's no way I can tell. But in general the flow rate is pretty flexible. The highest bio conversion rate is the thinnest sheet of water over the media (rocks I assume). But a thicker sheet isn't that bad either.
It really gets back to ammonia. If your pond has 0 ammonia all the time pre-TT then the proper flow on the TT is 0 GPH. The TT can't get ammonia below 0. If you have ammonia then you can tweak the flow to see if that does it, but that's dancing on the fence. In that case it's better to increase the TT size and flow, or add another TT or...whatever bio you want.
Don't worry about mechanically filtering the water first. That was out of left field. Beware of advice.
Thanks. I'm going with something like this.
I don't have an ammonia reading, but I do have some string algae and a small amount of algae floating on the water recently and I'm thinking its because of the explosion of platys in the pond, like hundreds. I think I need a bit more help on the bio side with the fish growing and the platys continually multiplying.
That's my reason. I chose trickle tower because it looks like something I can build in a short amount of time and the kids can help me.
I don't have an ammonia reading, but I do have some string algae and a small amount of algae floating on the water recently and I'm thinking its because of the explosion of platys in the pond, like hundreds. I think I need a bit more help on the bio side with the fish growing and the platys continually multiplying.
That's my reason. I chose trickle tower because it looks like something I can build in a short amount of time and the kids can help me.
Waterbug that has to be one of the most noob-like posts I have ever seen you make. A quick goodle search of trickle tower filtration gives any links. The very fist one, a link to the Midwest Pond and Koi Society, provides their article about trickle towers which states "it is important to use water that already has solids removed". For some reason my cell phone isn't letting me post the link. You have really dropped the ball on this one waterbug. Do you even know what a trickle tower is?
crsublette
coyotes call me Charles
Bio-film is actually quite sticky and this adhesion is strong enough for troubles to happen. The low flow rate of a trickle tower is not sufficient to knock off these fine particulates that attach to the TT medium. The video below visually demonstrates this fact.
I have often seen large particulate mechanical filtering involved before a TT. If large particulate filtration was not used, then there would be significant water channeling issues created due to the obvious reasons of what happens when large particulates enter a confined space.
Pushing the water through a simple pressurized pre-filter attached to the pump's intake or in-line like a leaf basket between the pump and Trickle Tower would be good enough.
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crsublette
coyotes call me Charles
Short Answer....
Depending on the size of the Trickle Tower, I think your 2000 gph pump would be fine, except it would not hurt if it was less than this.
And might possibly be at the maximum flow rate for a Tickle Tower. If you have any ammonia problems, then this is another ball of wax such as increasing the size of the Tower and increasing the flow rate through the Trickle Tower. However, for you, I have a gut feeling that I bet you will be fine or maybe this feeling might be the result of eating the wrong pork skins.
However, think about how you will winterize it. I know many folk that simply bring the TT inside and just keeps water cycling through with a small fountain pump. Other folk simply drain it and do not use it when there are freezing temperatures... The unfortunate disadvantage of Trickle Towers is that, due to the high expose to air, there can be noticeable water temperature changes within the Trickle Tower it self. So, if you think the weather will drop to around 28*F for more than 6 hours or so, then I would drain it and not use it until the weather warms up.
How do you plan to plumb it?
Are you building it to the size of the video that you hyper-linked?
Do you know the head height capabilities of your pump? If you can mention the model name, then I might be able to quickly find it for ya.
Long Answer.....
As explained in post#20 of thread Trickle Tower defined, you have to also take into account of the pump head height, which is like the pump's strength to push water. To understand what I am better talking about, all pumps come with a flow rate chart where the X axis is the pump's flow rate and the Y axis if the pump's head height. As shown in the below picture from a random pump manufacturer...
However, I think any pump with a 5~10 foot head height might be sufficient for you. Pumps become more expensive with higher head heights so, if you can afford the 10 foot head height pump, then I would choose this one...
In context of flow rate to answer you question....
I have found the typical flow rate recommendations commonly used for fully submerged bio-filtration does not apply to wet/dry filtration, such as a TT, since wet/dry filtration is incredibly more efficient.
I have not read any particular requirement nor recommendations for pump flow rates that are operating a Trickle Tower. However, since shower towers often have a higher flow rate than a trickle tower, then I would think it would be safe to assume the flow rate recommendation for a Trickle Tower would be below that of a shower tower. The absolutely best shower tower build performance I have seen was demonstrated in the thread titled, Birdman's New Test Tank and my post#345 gives an excellent summation of it. Since Birdman recommends for his shower tower, "2000 gph for every sq foot surface area", then I would assume this as the maximum flow rate for a Trickle Tower. Personally, I find 2000 gph per sq. foot incredibly high for a Trickle Tower, except if you make it big enough then it might be ok.
You have to also think about your pond turn over rate, that is how many times per hour your pond water will be pushed through your filtration. With a 2000 gph pump and a 2200 gallon pond, then this is near enough to turn over of 1x per hour. This can be fine depending on the number of fish in your pond. In your situation, this might be entirely fine.
So.... After all this... I think your 2000 gph pump might be fine and might possibly be at the maximum flow rate for a Tickle Tower. If you have any ammonia problems, then this is another ball of wax such as increasing the size and flow rate through the Trickle Tower. However, for you, I have a gut feeling that I bet you will be fine or maybe this feeling might be the result of eating the wrong pork skins.
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The way I read it, she is looking to add another pump and trickle tower, not use the existing 2000 gph pump. Correct?
Yup, I'd like to add a smaller pump, I'm not up to splitting this pump. Living in the Cayman Islands, if we hit 28degrees, the world is over. Winter won't be a problem. Lol!
I would probably make a small tower than this guy, since the cost of the lava rocks will possibly cause me to take out a second mortgage.
I don't have ammonia issues yet, but I'm trying to avoid them. Prevention. I have a feeling that it could become a problem.
I would probably make a small tower than this guy, since the cost of the lava rocks will possibly cause me to take out a second mortgage.
I don't have ammonia issues yet, but I'm trying to avoid them. Prevention. I have a feeling that it could become a problem.
crsublette
coyotes call me Charles
Then, I'd look into something with a 10 foot head height that is around 2000gph, although you could go lower. If you get the 2000gph pump, then simply split the flow so to slow down the water going into the Trickle Tower; this way you have an option in case you feel like make the Trickle Tower bigger or want to push more water through it. Although, I imagine a 500~1500 gph pump with around a 10 foot head height would work. There are common fountain pumps that have a 12~15 head height with around 500~1500gph.
So, with what is known here, this is how I would personally approach it.
So, with what is known here, this is how I would personally approach it.
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crsublette
coyotes call me Charles
If this is going to be a separate pump, then look into an in-line pre-filter or a pump sock pre-filter that attaches to the pump's intake. You could make this your self by attaching something to the pump intake with foam that has holes only large enough to not clog easy and to basically stop stuff like ground up leaves from being pumped into the Trickle Tower.
I imagine there are some simple DIY pre-filters out there, but I just can't think of any off hand at the moment.
I imagine there are some simple DIY pre-filters out there, but I just can't think of any off hand at the moment.
I don't know what you mean by platys? Plants? I like TTs but wouldn't have any effect on string algae.
I don't feed trolls. Sorry.